Return to Cherry Creek Reservoir May 26, 2007

Billy Marsen and I birded several foothills locations today.

Our first stop was Genesee Mountain Park (Jefferson County). Here we relocated 2 male and 2 female Williamson's Sapsuckers. One pair hangs around the group picnic area. The other pair was relocated at the top of the road (near the flag pole).

We also found all 3 species of nuthatches, Pine Siskins, Hairy Woodpeckers, Downy Woodpeckers, and a pair of Western Bluebirds.

An hour long search for White-tailed Ptarmigan on Loveland Pass (Clear Creek) was not successful. We did find a couple of Mountain Bluebirds and American Pipits. No Rosy Finches were around today.

From here we drove back through Evergreen and stopped at Lair o’ the Bear Park (Jefferson). Two American Dippers were located along Bear Creek and directly south of the parking area. We also found a Swamp Sparrow about 60 yards upstream (west) of the footbridge over the creek.

We hiked the park loop in hopes of finding some owls; without success.

Our next stop was Castlewood Canyon State Park (Douglas). It took only a couple of minutes to find 2 male Bobolinks in the field 0.2 miles south of the Winkler Ranch along Castlewood Canyon Road.

Many Mountain Bluebirds, 4 Western Bluebirds, and an Eastern Bluebird were observed as we drove north on Castlewood Canyon Road and through the State Park.

At the old farmhouse (in the park) we stopped and hiked back to the first picnic area. Three Spotted Towhees and 2 male Black-headed Grosbeaks were found along the trek. Unfortunately, no warblers were encountered.

After dropping Bill off, Rebecca Kosten and I drove through Cherry Creek Reservoir (Arapahoe). A male Black-chinned Hummingbird was again found east of the Ranger’s Office. A brief stop at the woods where Cherry Creek runs under the main road did not relocated the Rose-breasted Grosbeak reported earlier in the week. Several Black-crowned Night-Herons and a Great Blue Heron stood on the poles outlining the southwest marina.